Kneeling or foot stool



(No Model.)

L. J. HOFFMEYER. KNEBLING-OR FOOT STOOL.

Patented Apr. 30, 1895.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS J. HOFFMEYER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

KNEELING OR FOOT STOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 538,489, dated April 30, 1895.

Application filed December 8, 1894. Serial No. 31,21Z- (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, Lotus J. HOFFMEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Kneeling or Foot Stools, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

At the present time many churches and other-houses of worship are provided with benches or stools arranged in front of each seat or pew which serve the double purpose of kneeling and foot stools. These benches whether stationary or movable are greatly in the way of the occupants of the pews while entering or leaving the same and are also a source of annoyance to the janitor in sweeping and cleaning the house.

It is the object of my invention to provide each. seat with a bench or stool and at the same time avoid all'the objections before referred to.

To this end my invention consists in the peculiar construction and arrangement of a bench slidingly secured between guide ways and adapted to be moved thereon in or out from under the seat or to be raised from the floor when not in use.

Figure l is a perspective View of a churchpew to which my invention is attached, showing the bench as arranged for a kneelingbench. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through two seats, showing in full and dotted lines the bench in its different positions. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the upper part of one of the guideways. Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view showing the manner of attaching and detaching the bench from the guideways. Fig. 5 is a detail section showing some of the parts more specifically referred to by letters of ref- F shows guide ways with which the pins or lugsE are adapted to slidingly engage. These guide ways may be secured to the inner faces of the standards, B, of the seat or if desired on independent standards secured to the fioor. I preferably use the construction shown in the drawings, in which F is a bracket having an upper horizontal portion a, the inclined portion 1) and the lower horizontal portion a.

d is a slot adapted to receive the pin E which extends the length of the portions 0 and b terminating at its upper end in an enlargement e the latter having a shoulderf at one end'thereof. The brackets F are screwed or otherwise secured to the standards B of the pew, the portion a forming a supporting cleat for the seat.

G are books formed at the lower ends of the brackets F.

H are hooks upon the bench 0 adapted to engage with the hooks G.

The pins E, and hooks H, I preferably form integrally with the plate I which may be screwed to the ends of the bench.

J is the rubber sleeve covering the pins E.

The parts being thus constructed, the manner of using my invention is as follows: When the pew is empty the bench G is either in the position shown in Fig. 2 in full lines or in the position shown in dotted lines at K in the same figure. In either position it will be completely out of the way of a person entering the pew. If it is now desired to use the bench as a foot rest only, it may be left in the position shown at K. If however, it is to be used as a kneeling bench,it will be necessary to pull it forward into the position shown in Fig. 1 or in dotted lines at Lin Fig. 2, the hooks G and H preventing it from being drawn out too far.

Before leaving the pew the occupant may slide the bench back again out of the way. In sweeping or cleaning the bench may be raised from the floor by sliding it up the inclined guide ways where it is held from accidental displacement by the shoulder f.

The rubber sleeves J, on the pins E, will make the movement of the bench noiseless and for the same purpose I also preferably provide the legs D, with rubber tips.

If it is desired to remove the bench from the guide ways this may be done by turning it over, thereby disengaging the hooks, as shown in Fig. 4.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. The combination with the oppositely arranged standards of guide ways thereon having a horizontal portion, an upwardly inclined portion and a detent at the upper end, a kneeling and foot bench arranged between said stand ards, and pins or lugs at each end of said bench adapted to slidingly engage with the guide ways and detents, substantially as described.

2. The combination with oppositely arranged standards, of guide ways thereon hav- 

